Image forming device and image forming method

ABSTRACT

According to one embodiment, there is provided an image forming device, the image forming device applying information differently for each copy to a sheet on which an image is to be formed. The image forming device includes a controller and an image forming processor. The controller is configured to acquire image information, the image information including an input image to be formed on a sheet and applying information associated with each copy, in response to the input image being formed. The controller is configured to generate a composite image obtained by applying an applying image based on the applying information for each copy to the input image. The image forming processor is configured to form the composite image generated for each copy on the sheet of each copy.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromJapanese Patent Application No. 2021-183454, filed on Nov. 10, 2021, theentire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate generally to an image forming deviceand an image forming method.

BACKGROUND

Typically, image forming devices can apply information specified by auser to a sheet such as paper at the time of copying and printing. Forexample, there are image forming devices that can apply a stamp to asheet by a stamp function. Examples of the image forming devices includedevices such as copiers, printers, or multifunction peripherals (MFP).

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an external view showing an overall configuration of an imageforming device of one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a controlunit;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of anauxiliary storage device;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing one example of an applying information file;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a first example of a selection screendisplayed on a display;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a second example;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a third example;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing one example of a sheet on which an image isformed;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing one example of acts; and

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing one example of acts of a firstembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the typical image forming devices, when plural copies of images of amanuscript are formed, only the same information can be applied to allcopies.

One embodiment described herein provides an image forming device and animage forming method that can apply information different for each copyto a sheet on which an image is to be formed.

According to one embodiment, an image forming device includes a controlunit or controller and an image forming unit or image forming processor.The control unit is configured to acquire image information showing aninput image to be formed on a sheet and applying information associatedwith each copy when the input image is formed, and generate a compositeimage obtained by applying an applying image based on the applyinginformation for each copy to the input image. The image forming unit isconfigured to form the composite image generated for each copy on thesheet for each copy.

Hereinafter, an image forming device and an image forming methodaccording to one embodiment will be described with reference to thedrawings.

An overall configuration of an image forming device 100 of theembodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is an external view showing anoverall configuration example of the image forming device 100. The imageforming device 100 of the embodiment is an MFP. The image forming device100 includes a display 110, a control panel 120, a printer unit orprinter 130, a sheet accommodating unit or sheet feeder 140, and animage reading unit or image reader 200. The image forming device 100 maybe, for example, a copier or a printer instead of the MFP.

The display 110 (display unit) is a display device such as a liquidcrystal display (LCD) or an organic electro luminescence (organic EL)display. The display 110 displays various pieces of information aboutthe image forming device 100 under the control of the control unit orcontroller 101 described later. The display 110 may be an input andoutput device such as a touch panel integrated with the control panel120 described below.

The control panel 120 is an input device that receives an inputoperation of a user. The control panel 120 includes, for example, aplurality of input buttons. When the control panel 120 is, for example,a touch panel integrated with the display 110, the input buttons may bean image displayed on the display 110. The control panel 120 outputs anoperation signal corresponding to the input operation of the user to thecontrol unit or controller 101.

The printer unit 130 forms an image on a sheet based on an input imagedata file including image data generated by the image reading unit 200.The printer unit 130 is one example of an image forming unit. Theprinter unit 130 may be a device that fixes a visible image such as atoner image on the sheet to form the image, or a device that forms theimage by an inkjet method. The sheet is, for example, paper or labelpaper. Nevertheless, the sheet may be any material as long as the imageforming device 100 can form the image on the surface of the sheet. Thesheet may be a sheet accommodated in the sheet accommodating unit 140,or may be a sheet manually inserted into the image forming device 100.

The sheet accommodating unit 140 accommodates the sheet used for formingthe image by the printer unit 130.

The image reading unit 200 reads the image formed on a manuscript placedon a manuscript table based on the brightness and darkness of light, andgenerates the image data that is digital data. The image reading unit200 outputs the generated image data to the control unit or controller101. The control unit or controller 101 stores the input image data fileincluding the input image data in the auxiliary storage device orauxiliary storage 103 described later. The control unit 101 may outputthe input image data file to an external storage device or storagemedium via, for example, a network. The control unit 101 may output theinput image data file to the printer unit 130 without storing the inputimage data file in the storage device or the like.

Thereafter, the hardware configuration of the image forming device 100of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2 . FIG. 2 isa block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the image formingdevice 100.

The image forming device 100 includes the control unit or controller101, a network interface 102, the auxiliary storage device 103, a memoryor memory circuitry 104, the display 110, the control panel 120, theprinter unit or printer 130, the sheet accommodating unit or sheetfeeder 140, and the image reading unit or image reader 200. Thesecomponents included in the image forming device 100 are connected by aninternal bus so that data can be exchanged. The functional unitsdescribed with reference to FIG. 1 are designated by the same referencenumerals as those in FIG. 1 , and the description thereof will beomitted.

The control unit 101 controls acts of each component of the imageforming device 100. The control unit 101 controls the components toexecute various processes by executing a program. The program is storedin advance in, for example, the memory 104 or the auxiliary storagedevice 103. The functional configuration of the control unit 101 will bedescribed in detail later.

The network interface 102 transmits and receives data to and from anexternal device. The network interface 102 acts as an input interfaceand receives the data transmitted from the external device. The networkinterface 102 acts as an output interface and transmits data to theexternal device.

The auxiliary storage device 103 is a storage medium such as a hard diskdrive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). The auxiliary storage device103 stores various kinds of data. The various kinds of data include, forexample, image data, image data files, and various setting data. Theconfiguration of information recorded in the auxiliary storage device103 will be described in detail later.

The memory 104 is a storage medium such as a random access memory (RAM).The memory 104 temporarily stores data and programs used by thecomponents included in the image forming device 100. In addition, thedigital data such as the image data generated by the image reading unit200 may be recorded in the memory 104 instead of the auxiliary storagedevice 103.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the control unit 101 and theconfiguration of the auxiliary storage device 103 of the image formingdevice 100 of the embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a blockdiagram showing the configuration of the control unit or controller 101.The control unit 101 includes an applying information acquisition unitor applying information receiver 1011, an applying information selectionunit or applying information selector 1012, an input image acquisitionunit or input image receiver 1013, an applying image generating unit orapplying image generator 1014, an image composition unit or imageaggregator 1015, and an authentication unit or authenticator 1016. FIG.4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the auxiliary storagedevice 103. The auxiliary storage device 103 stores an applyinginformation file group 1031, an input image data group 1032, an applyingimage data group 1033, a composite image data group 1034, andauthentication information 1035.

The applying information acquisition unit 1011 acquires an applyinginformation file from the external device. The applying information fileis a file showing a list of information (hereinafter referred to as“applying information”) to be applied to the sheet for each copy at thetime of copying or printing. The applying information file is, forexample, text data in comma-separated values (CSV) format ortab-separated values (TSV) format. The applying information acquisitionunit 1011 stores the acquired applying information file in the auxiliarystorage device 103.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing one example of the applying informationfile. As shown in FIG. 5 , an applying information file fa is text datain CSV format. In the applying information file fa, names of persons maybe associated with numbers from “1” to “6”. Each of the numbers from “1”to “6” in the applying information file fa may be associated with a copyat the time of copying or printing. Each of the six types of names inthe applying information file fa is the applying information. That is,when the applying information file fa is specified at the time ofcopying or printing, for example, an image representing characters“TANAKA” is applied to an image to be formed on a sheet of a first copy.Alternatively, for example, an image representing characters “SUZUKI” isapplied to an image to be formed on a sheet of a second copy.Hereinafter, an image showing the applying information is referred to asthe “applying image”.

The applying information file is created, for example, on a PC of theuser. The user creates the applying information file, and transmits thecreated applying information file from the PC to the image formingdevice 100 via a communication network. The applying informationacquisition unit 1011 acquires the applying information file transmittedfrom the PC of the user via the network interface 102. The configurationin which the applying information acquisition unit 1011 acquires theapplying information file is not limited to such a configuration. Forexample, the applying information acquisition unit 1011 may acquire theapplying information file created by inputting information by the userusing the control panel 120.

The applying information selection unit 1012 acquires informationshowing a selection result as to whether to apply an applying image toan input image at the time of copying or printing. The applyinginformation selection unit 1012 acquires information showing a selectionresult as to the type of the applying image to be applied to the inputimage. The applying information selection unit 1012 acquires informationshowing a selection result as to whether the same applying image isapplied to all pages or an applying image different for each copy isapplied. When an applying image different for each copy is applied, theapplying information selection unit 1012 acquires information showingthe applying information file selected from the applying informationfile group 1031.

For example, the applying information selection unit 1012 generates animage (hereinafter, referred to as “selection screen”) for the user tomake the above selection, and displays the image on the display 110. Theuser refers to the selection screen displayed on the display 110 andperforms an input operation for making the above selection using thecontrol panel 120. The applying information selection unit 1012 acquiresinformation showing the content of the input operation performed by theuser from the control panel 120. As a result, the applying informationselection unit 1012 can acquire information showing various selectionresults based on the input operation from the user.

FIGS. 6 to 8 are diagrams showing examples of the selection screen. Aselection screen sa (second selection screen) shown in FIG. 6 is aselection screen for the user to select whether to apply an applyingimage to the input image. The selection screen sa is also a selectionscreen for the user to select the type of the applying image to beapplied to the input image. On the selection screen sa, the user canselect three types of applying images including an applying imageshowing the number of pages, an applying image showing the date, and anapplying image specified by the user. On the selection screen sa, theuser can select one or more applying images among these three types ofapplying images, and may not select any of the images. For example, whenall the three types of applying images are selected, all the three typesof applying images are applied to the image to be formed on each sheetat the time of copying or printing.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6 , the applying information selectionunit 1012 controls the selection screen sa such that a button imageshowing the selected type of the applying image is surrounded by a thickframe. As a result, the user can confirm which type of the applyingimage is in a selected state on the selection screen sa. For example,FIG. 6 shows a selection screen sa in a state where only the applyingimage specified by the user is selected. When the user wants to apply anapplying image different for each copy to the sheet at the time ofcopying or printing, the user may select the applying image specified bythe user.

A selection screen sb shown in FIG. 7 is one example of a transitioningselection screen when the applying image specified by the user isselected on the selection screen sa shown in FIG. 6 . The selectionscreen sb (third selection screen) is a selection screen for the user toselect whether to apply the same applying image to all pages or to applyan applying image different for each copy. For example, FIG. 7 shows theselection screen sb in a state in which a selection is made to apply anapplying image different for each copy.

A selection screen sc shown in FIG. 8 is one example of a transitioningscreen when the selection is made to apply an applying image differentfor each copy on the selection screen sb shown in FIG. 7 . The selectionscreen sc (first selection screen) is a selection screen for the user toselect the applying information file to be used at the time of copyingor printing. For example, in FIG. 8 , “name.csv”, “name 2.csv”, and“distribution destination company name.csv” are all examples of theapplying information file included in the applying information filegroup 1031. FIG. 8 shows the selection screen sc in which at least oneapplying information file can be selected from these three applyinginformation files.

On the selection screen sb shown in FIG. 7 , when a selection is made togive the same applying image to all pages, for example, the screentransitions to a selection screen for the user to specify one applyingimage.

At the time of copying, the input image acquisition unit 1013 acquiresthe image data (image information) showing the image read by the imagereading unit 200 from the image reading unit 200. At the time ofprinting, the input image acquisition unit 1013 acquires, for example,the image data (image information) transmitted from the PC of the uservia the network interface 102. The input image acquisition unit 1013stores the input image data file including the acquired image data inthe auxiliary storage device 103.

The applying image generating unit 1014 converts the applyinginformation selected by the applying information selection unit 1012into the image data. The applying image generating unit 1014 refers tothe applying information file selected by the applying informationselection unit 1012, and generates applying image data showing theapplying image to be applied for each copy. For example, the applyingimage generating unit 1014 converts the applying information, which istext format data included in the applying information file, intopostscript format data. Furthermore, the applying image generating unit1014 converts the postscript format data into raster data by a rasterimage processor (RIP) process used in the printing. The applying imagegenerating unit 1014 stores the generated applying image data in theauxiliary storage device 103.

The image composition unit 1015 performs image composition when theapplying information selection unit 1012 makes a selection to apply theapplying image to the input image at the time of copying or printing.The image composition unit 1015 performs the image composition forcompositing the input image based on the input image data and theapplying image based on the applying image data, and generates thecomposite image data. The image composition unit 1015 generatescomposite image data based on the applying information file when theapplying information selection unit 1012 makes a selection to apply anapplying image different for each copy. As a result, composite imagedata different for each copy is generated. The image composition unit1015 stores the generated composite image data in the auxiliary storagedevice 103.

The control unit 101 outputs the composite image data group 1034 storedin the auxiliary storage device 103 to the printer unit 130 when theapplying information selection unit 1012 makes a selection to apply theapplying image to the input image. As a result, the printer unit 130forms a composite image on the sheet on which the applying image iscombined with the input image based on the acquired composite image datagroup 1034. The control unit 101 outputs the input image data group 1032stored in the auxiliary storage device 103 to the printer unit 130 whenthe applying information selection unit 1012 makes a selection to notapply the applying image to the input image. As a result, the printerunit 130 forms an input image on the sheet on which the applying imageis not composited based on the acquired input image data group 1032.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing one example of a sheet on which an image isformed. Each sheet shown in FIG. 9 shows a sheet for each copy on whichan image is formed when the applying information file fa shown in FIG. 5is selected. As shown in FIG. 9 , according to the applying informationfile fa, for example, a composite image in which an applying imageshowing a character string of “SATO” is composited is formed on a firstsheet. According to the applying information file fa, for example, on asecond sheet, a composite image in which the applying image showing acharacter string of “SUZUKI” is composited is formed.

The authentication unit 1016 authenticates the user who uses the imageforming device 100. For example, the authentication unit 1016 performsuser authentication by using the authentication information 1035 storedin advance in the auxiliary storage device 103. The authentication unit1016 may perform the user authentication by using an externalauthentication server. The authentication unit 1016 may controlauthority or authorization such as to limit users who can executereferences, new registrations, editions, deletions, and the like of theapplying information file based on the result of the userauthentication, for example.

Hereinafter, acts at the time of new registrations of the applyinginformation file of the image forming device 100 will be described. FIG.10 is a flowchart showing one example of the acts at the time of newregistrations of the applying information file of the image formingdevice 100 of the embodiment.

The applying information acquisition unit 1011 acquires the applyinginformation file. For example, the applying information acquisition unit1011 acquires an applying information file transmitted from the externaldevice such as the PC of the user via the network interface 102(ACT001). The applying information acquisition unit 1011 stores theacquired applying information file in the auxiliary storage device 103(ACT002). With the above-described acts, the acts of the image formingdevice 100 shown in the flowchart of FIG. 10 are completed.

Hereinafter, acts of the image forming device 100 at the time of copyingwill be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing one example of theacts of the image forming device 100 of the embodiment at the time ofcopying. The acts of the image forming device 100 shown in thisflowchart are started when a manuscript is set in the image reading unit200 and the user inputs a copy execution instruction by the controlpanel 120.

When the applying information selection unit 1012 acquires informationshowing the copy execution instruction from the control panel 120,various selection screens are displayed on the display 110. The applyinginformation selection unit 1012 acquires information showing the contentof the input operation performed by the user from the control panel 120.The applying information selection unit 1012 determines whether to applyinformation to a sheet for forming an image based on the selectionresult of the user shown by the acquired information (ACT102).

When the applying information selection unit 1012 determines that theinformation is to be applied (ACT102: YES), the applying informationselection unit 1012 determines whether the applying information file isspecified based on the acquired information (ACT103).

When the applying information selection unit 1012 determines that theapplying information file is specified (ACT103: YES), the image readingunit 200 starts reading the set manuscript (ACT104). The image readingunit 200 reads the manuscript to generate image data showing the imageformed on the manuscript (ACT105). The input image acquisition unit 1013acquires the image data from the image reading unit 200. The input imageacquisition unit 1013 stores the input image data file including theacquired image data in the auxiliary storage device 103.

The applying image generating unit 1014 refers to the applyinginformation file selected by the applying information selection unit1012, and generates applying image data showing the applying image to beapplied for each copy (ACT106). The applying image generating unit 1014stores the generated applying image data in the auxiliary storage device103.

The printer unit 130 starts an image forming act (ACT107). The imagecomposition unit 1015 performs the image composition for compositing oraggregating the applying image based on the applying image data with theinput image based on the input image data file, and generates thecomposite image data (ACT108). The image composition unit 1015 generatescomposite image data different for each copy based on the applyinginformation file. The control unit 101 outputs the composite image datagenerated for each copy to the printer unit 130. As a result, theprinter unit 130 forms the composite image, in which an applying imagedifferent for each copy is composited with the input image, on the sheetof each copy.

When the image forming act by the printer unit 130 is completed(ACT109), the acts of the image forming device 100 shown in theflowchart of FIG. 11 are completed.

Alternatively or optionally, when the applying information selectionunit 1012 determines that the applying information file is not specified(ACT103: NO), the image reading unit 200 starts reading the setmanuscript (ACT110). Here, the case where the applying information fileis determined to be not specified is the case where the same applyingimage is specified to be applied to all pages. The image reading unit200 reads the manuscript to generate the image data showing the imageformed on the manuscript (ACT111). The input image acquisition unit 1013acquires image data from the image reading unit 200. The input imageacquisition unit 1013 stores the input image data file including theacquired image data in the auxiliary storage device 103.

The applying image generating unit 1014 generates applying image datashowing a specific applying image to be commonly applied to all pagesselected by the applying information selection unit 1012 (ACT112). Theapplying image generating unit 1014 stores the generated applying imagedata in the auxiliary storage device 103.

The printer unit 130 starts the image forming act (ACT113). The imagecomposition unit 1015 performs the image composition for compositing thecommonly applying image based on the applying image data with all theinput image based on the input image data file, and generates thecomposite image data (ACT114). The control unit 101 outputs thegenerated composite image data to the printer unit 130. As a result, theprinter unit 130 forms a composite image, in which the commonly applyingimage is composited for all the input images, on the sheet of each copy.

When the image forming act of the printer unit 130 is completed(ACT115), the acts of the image forming device 100 shown in theflowchart of FIG. 11 are completed.

Alternatively or optionally, when the applying information selectionunit 1012 determines that the information is not to be applied (ACT102:NO), the image reading unit 200 starts reading the set manuscript(ACT116). The image reading unit 200 reads the manuscript to generatethe image data showing the image formed on the manuscript (ACT117). Theinput image acquisition unit 1013 acquires image data from the imagereading unit 200. The input image acquisition unit 1013 stores the inputimage data file including the acquired image data in the auxiliarystorage device 103.

The printer unit 130 starts the image forming act (ACT118). The imagecomposition unit 1015 forms all the input images based on the inputimage data file on the sheet of each copy. When the image forming act ofthe printer unit 130 is completed (ACT119), the acts of the imageforming device 100 shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11 are completed.

FIG. 11 shows, as one example, the acts of the image forming device 100at the time of copying. Alternatively or optionally, in the acts at thetime of printing, the image forming device 100 acquires image datashowing an input image from, for example, the PC of the user, instead ofreading the manuscript. In this case, for example, the user may selectthe applying information file on his own PC using a printer driver.Other acts are the same at the time of copying and at the time ofprinting.

As described above, the image forming device 100 of the embodimentacquires the applying information file. The applying information file isa list in which the copies and the applying information are associatedwith each other. The image forming device 100 generates the compositeimage in which an applying image different for each copy is compositedor aggregated with the input image based on the applying informationfile. The image forming device 100 forms the composite image that isdifferent for each copy on the sheet.

By providing such a configuration, the image forming device 100 of theembodiment can apply information different for each copy to a sheet onwhich an image is to be formed. For example, when it is desired toclarify to whom the printed matter is distributed from the viewpoint ofsecurity, it is conceivable to use the applying information file inwhich the copy and a member name to be distributed are associated witheach other. For example, the applying information file is an applyinginformation file in which the applying information is names of persons,such as the applying information file fa shown in FIG. 5 . In this case,since a member name different for each copy is applied to the printedmatter, it is possible to easily associate the printed matter with themember to be distributed when the printed matter is distributed.

The applying information file may be stored in the external device thatcan be accessed by the image forming device 100 if necessary. Theexternal device is, for example, a file server on the cloud or a PC ofthe user.

In the present embodiment, one applying information file is created foreach set of applying information patterns, and the embodiment disclosedherein is not limited to this configuration. For example, a plurality ofsets of applying information patterns may be combined in one file. Inthis case, for example, a selection screen is displayed on the display110 such that the user can select one pattern from the plurality of setsof applying information patterns.

The applying information file fa shown in FIG. 5 contains informationfor associating a copy number with the applying information, and theinformation described in the applying information file is not limited tothis configuration. For example, the applying information file may beconfigured such that only the applying information (the names of thepersons in FIG. 5 ) is described by separating the applying informationwith commas or by inserting line breaks. In this case, for example, theapplying image generating unit 1014 generates applying image datashowing the applying image to be applied for each copy in order from theapplying information at the beginning.

The number of copies or prints specified by the user is not the same asthe number of applying information included in the applying informationfile, and for example, there may be cases in which the number of copiesor prints is larger than the number of applying information. In thiscase, for example, the control unit 101 may form an input image in whichthe applying image is not composited for the sheets exceeding the numberof the applying information. On the contrary, it is also conceivablethat the number of copies of the specified copy or print by the user isless than the number of applying information included in the applyinginformation file. In this case, for example, the applying imagegenerating unit 1014 may generate the applying image only for thespecified number of copies of the applying information.

The applying information selection unit 1012 may display on the display110 a selection screen on which the user can select any applyinginformation from a plurality of pieces of applying information includedin one applying information file. In this case, the applying imagegenerating unit 1014 generates the applying image only for the selectedapplying information. For example, when the applying information file fashown in FIG. 5 is specified, the user selects only “SATO” and “TANAKA”.In this case, the applying image generating unit 1014 converts only thetext data of “SATO” and “TANAKA” into image data, respectively.

In the present embodiment, the applying information file is stored inthe auxiliary storage device 103, and the applying information isconverted into image data as needed at the time of copying or printing.Alternatively or optionally, the embodiment disclosed herein is notlimited to this configuration. For example, when the applyinginformation file is acquired by the applying information acquisitionunit 1011, the applying image generating unit 1014 may convert theapplying information into image data and store the applying image datain the auxiliary storage device 103.

In the present embodiment, although the applying information acquisitionunit 1011 acquires the applying information file that is text data, theembodiment disclosed herein is not limited to this configuration. Forexample, the control unit 101 may acquire the applying image data. Inthis case, for example, the user gathers or bundles one set of theapplying image data for each copy and transmits the applying image datafrom the PC to the image forming device 100. That is, the applyinginformation is not limited to text data.

In the present embodiment, although the control unit 101 included in theimage forming device 100 composites the input image and the applyingimage, the embodiment disclosed herein is not limited to thisconfiguration. For example, the external device such as the PC of theuser may perform image composition or the like.

In FIG. 9 , although the applying image is formed at the upper rightposition of all the sheet, and the position on the sheet on which theapplying image is to be formed may be any position. For example, theuser may specify the position on the sheet on which the applying imageis to be formed on the selection screen.

The functions of the image forming device in the above embodiments maybe implemented by a computer. In this case, a program for implementingthese functions may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium,and the program recorded on the recording medium may be read andexecuted by a computer system. The “computer system” mentioned hereincludes an OS and hardware such as peripheral devices. The“computer-readable recording medium” refers to a storage device such asa portable medium such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, aROM, and a CD-ROM, and a hard disk built in the computer system. The“computer-readable recording medium” may also include a recording mediumthat retains a program dynamically in a short time, such as acommunication line for transmitting a program via a network such as theInternet or a communication line such as a telephone line, or arecording medium that retains a program for a predetermined time, suchas a volatile memory in a computer system serving as a server or aclient in this case. The program may be used to implement a part of theabove functions, and combine with a program that is already recorded inthe computer system to implement the above functions.

While certain embodiments have been described, the embodiments have beenpresented by way of examples only, and are not intended to limit thescope of the disclosure. These embodiments can be implemented in variousother forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can bemade without departing from the gist of the disclosure. Theseembodiments and modifications thereof fall within the scope and spiritof the disclosure and are included in the scope of the disclosurerecited in the claims and the equivalent thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image forming device comprising: a controllerconfigured to: acquire image information, the image informationincluding an input image to be formed on a sheet and applyinginformation associated with each copy, in response to the input imagebeing formed, and generate a composite image obtained by applying anapplying image based on the applying information for each copy to theinput image; and an image forming processor configured to form thecomposite image generated for each copy on the sheet of each copy. 2.The device according to claim 1, further comprising: a displayconfigured to display a first selection screen used for selecting anylist from a plurality of lists of the applying information associatedwith each copy, wherein the controller is configured to generate thecomposite image based on the list selected on the first selectionscreen.
 3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the display isconfigured to display a second selection screen used for selectingwhether to apply the applying image to the input image, the controlleris configured to not generate the composite image in response to aselection being made on the second selection screen such that theapplying image is not applied to the input image, and the image formingprocessor is configured to form the input image on the sheets of allcopies.
 4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the display isconfigured to display a third selection screen used for selectingwhether an applying image different for each copy is applied to theinput image or the same applying image is applied to all copies, thecontroller is configured to generate an image in which a specificapplying image is applied to the input image in response to a selectionbeing made on the third selection screen to apply the same applyingimage to all copies, and the image forming processor is configured toform the input image to which the specific applying image is applied onthe sheets of all copies.
 5. The device according to claim 2, furthercomprising: an authenticator configured to authenticate a user, whereinthe display is configured to control authorization of at least onereference to the list and update of the list based on a result of theauthentication by the authenticator.
 6. A method for operating an imageforming device, the method comprising: acquiring image information, theimage information including an input image to be formed on a sheet andapplying information associated with each copy, in response to the inputimage being formed, generating a composite image obtained by applying anapplying image based on the applying information for each copy to theinput image; and forming the composite image generated for each copy onthe sheet of each copy.
 7. The method according to claim 6, furthercomprising: displaying a first selection screen used for selecting anylist from a plurality of lists of the applying information associatedwith each copy, and generating the composite image based on the listselected on the first selection screen.
 8. The method according to claim7, further comprising: displaying a second selection screen used forselecting whether to apply the applying image to the input image, notgenerating the composite image in response to a selection being made onthe second selection screen such that the applying image is not appliedto the input image, and forming the input image on the sheets of allcopies.
 9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:displaying a third selection screen used for selecting whether anapplying image different for each copy is applied to the input image orthe same applying image is applied to all copies, generating an image inwhich a specific applying image is applied to the input image inresponse to a selection being made on the third selection screen toapply the same applying image to all copies, and forming the input imageto which the specific applying image is applied on the sheets of allcopies.
 10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:authenticating a user, and controlling authorization of at least onereference to the list and update of the list based on a result of theauthentication.
 11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storinginstructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor tocarry out operations comprising: acquiring image information, the imageinformation including an input image to be formed on a sheet andapplying information associated with each copy, in response to the inputimage being formed, generating a composite image obtained by applying anapplying image based on the applying information for each copy to theinput image; and forming the composite image generated for each copy onthe sheet of each copy.
 12. The non-transitory computer readable mediumaccording to claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:displaying a first selection screen used for selecting any list from aplurality of lists of the applying information associated with eachcopy, and generating the composite image based on the list selected onthe first selection screen.
 13. The non-transitory computer readablemedium according to claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:displaying a second selection screen used for selecting whether to applythe applying image to the input image, not generating the compositeimage in response to a selection being made on the second selectionscreen such that the applying image is not applied to the input image,and forming the input image on the sheets of all copies.
 14. Thenon-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 12, whereinthe operations further comprise: displaying a third selection screenused for selecting whether an applying image different for each copy isapplied to the input image or the same applying image is applied to allcopies, generating an image in which a specific applying image isapplied to the input image in response to a selection being made on thethird selection screen to apply the same applying image to all copies,and forming the input image to which the specific applying image isapplied on the sheets of all copies.
 15. The non-transitory computerreadable medium according to claim 12, wherein the operations furthercomprise: authenticating a user, and controlling authorization of atleast one reference to the list and update of the list based on a resultof the authentication.